DOE Partnerships in Action: Advancing Clean Energy Through Years of Collaboration

For over 15 years, Optony has been a trusted partner to government agencies, utilities, and institutions across the U.S., delivering data-driven results and scalable clean energy strategies. As a leading clean energy consulting firm, Optony provides strategic advisory guidance, technical services, and program implementation for both public and private sector clients. With deep expertise in solar energy and microgrids, electric fleet planning, decarbonization, and market transformation, the firm helps organizations design, finance, and deploy impactful renewable energy solutions. Optony has shown continuous leadership throughout its long-term involvement with the DOE across a variety of clean energy projects.

Optony’s relationship to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has a long history, with the company’s roots coming out of research at the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL). The DOE’s mission is to ensure America’s security and prosperity by addressing energy, environmental, and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions. The DOE plays a critical role in advancing clean energy innovation, supporting energy infrastructure, and promoting sustainability across sectors. Through strategic DOE partnerships and national programs, the DOE empowers communities, industries, and states to transition toward a more resilient, equitable, and low-carbon energy future.

Shaping the Future of Energy

From its inception, Optony has been a proud partner of the Department of Energy in a number of ways, working alongside the agency to deploy a variety of energy programs and ambitious innovations, taking on the role of technical advisor, consultant, and program implementer. These DOE partnerships have evolved to meet the changing goals of the US economy and the energy market over the years. 

Both the DOE and Optony embrace goals of transformation and innovation in energy. The Department of Energy has a main mission statement of ensuring “secure and reliable delivery of energy” and has a proven history of impactful collaboration with private consultants to make that mission possible. 

Optony believes that energy is the backbone of American society, government, and economic prosperity. By partnering with national organizations and local municipal leaders across the US, Optony helps transform local solar markets with the ultimate goal to positively impact all energy-users by reducing costs and reliance on fossil fuels. 

Optony has worked with hundreds of cities, counties, and utilities, and has successfully worked on several DOE program partnerships.  

A History of DOE Partnerships in Action

Solar America Cities Program — Supporting municipalities in solar adoption

• Optony served as technical assistance support and program design and implementation
• Through this program, the DOE awarded 12 cities across the country with a total of $2.4 million to integrate a variety of solar technologies, such as solar water heating, solar photovoltaic electric systems, and large-scale solar thermal electric systems, including concentrating solar power.

SunShot Initiative Participation — Reducing solar soft costs within the country and providing a framework for implementing actionable steps across 15 states to make solar system installations more effective.

• Optony provided interactive technical expertise across 5 key focus areas of permitting, planning, interconnection, financing and market development to 400 jurisdictions across 15 states over 30 months via the Solar Roadmap platform.
• This effort included extending support to local government, school districts, and utilities.
• Optony worked with the DOE’s SunShot program to develop solar procurement templates, cost-reduction frameworks, and reach dozens of cities to activate solar initiatives within their communites.
• Optony’s program participation started as the Southwest Solar Transformation Initiative (SSTI), focused on the American Southwest, but due to Optony’s success at reaching regional municipalities, the program was expanded to become the American Solar Transformation Initiative (ASTI). 
• The engagement awarded Optony the Sunshot Initiative Rooftop Solar Challenge II award and was presented by the U.S. Department of Energy in 2013.

Solar Roadmap — Organizing national best practices and making them easily accessible for government agencies, regional organizations, residents, businesses, and electric utilities.

• Optony developed this tool with the support of the DOE to be a go-to resource for unbiased solar information and tools for residents, businesses, government staff, electric utilities, and solar industry.
• Through customized profile pages and interactive policy roadmaps, this innovative platform is helping communities and electric utilities across the country to capture economic and environmental benefits from clean energy deployment by making it easier, faster, and more affordable to go solar.

Technical Assistance Partnership (TAP) Program Lead — Optony was selected by the DOE to run the Western Region of the Better Buildings Onsite Energy TAP‘s program, beginning in 2023.

Looking Forward: Energy at Work

Today, Optony runs the Western Region Technical Assistance Partnership, actively conducting technical assistance for facility operators. The TAP program utilizes the technical expertise of the Industrial Training & Assessment Centers (ITAC) and the nation’s 9 leading National Labs to perform technical assessments. This collaboration underscores on ongoing commitment to innovation and technical leadership in US manufacturing and the industrial industry.

Despite uncertainty in the US clean energy industry, Optony’s DOE partnerships and collaboration for innovation remain strong. Over a decade of proven success with various engagements, programs, and clean energy partnerships has positioned Optony as a trustworthy guide for the nation’s government agencies.

Optony expertise continues to support evolving DOE priorities including electrification and grid reliability. These public-private sector DOE partnerships are a crucial driver for progress and a statement of readiness for future energy security.

To discuss how Optony’s work for the Department of Energy may be applied to your own projects, you can contact us here.